AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Longhorns and everyone else are finding that Georgia is still the top dog in the Southeastern Conference.
Coach Kirby Smart’s 100th victory in his nine seasons with the Bulldogs, a dominating defensive performance at SEC newcomer Texas, provided a stark reminder about his team, which started the season at the top of the Associated Press college football poll.
“Look, we were able to win this game because of what we had done before this,” Smart said after the Bulldogs’ 30-15 win over the Longhorns on Saturday night in Austin. “Like, going to Kentucky and playing, and going to Alabama and playing. We didn’t flinch. You don’t flinch when you’ve been in these battles.”
That was something Texas found out the hard way in one of the most-anticipated home games in Longhorns history.
Georgia’s 13-13 win at Kentucky on Sept. 14 was followed by the Bulldogs dropping a spot to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 as Texas — which won the Big 12 title last season in its final go-around in that conference — was elevated to No. 1. Two weeks later and in its next game, Georgia lost 41-34 at Alabama, which went from No. 4 to the top spot, dropping Texas to second.